Apparatus for operating alarms or other devices.



No. 688,305. Patented Dec. l0, I90l'. F. GRINNELL.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ALARMS OR OTHER DEVICES.

(Application filed Mar. 28, 1900.!

(I0 Ibdel.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK GRINNELL, OF NEW BEDEoRD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF NEWV YORK.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ALARMS OR OTHER DEVICES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 688,305, dated December 10, 1901.

Application filed March 28, 1900.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK GRINNELL, of New Bedford, county of Bristol, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Operating Alarms or other Devices; and I do hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The invention relates to an apparatus for causing the operation of a device-such as an alarm, for instance-whenever there is an escape of liquid from the system of pipes to which the apparatus is connected, and more especially relates to an apparatus in which the device is operated or controlled by the liquid in the system acting through a normally closed communication which is opened upon the escape of liquid from the system. This formof apparatus is especially useful in connection with automatic fire-extinguisher systems for operating an alarm, and this application of the invention will be referred to in more fully explaining the invention.

Alarm devices of the general character above referred to have heretofore been used in connection with fire-sprinkler systems,and when so used the communication with the sys- 0 tem has usually been controlled by a checkvalve located at the entrance of the system of sprinkling-pipes. When the sprinkler system is supplied from water-pipes which also supply water for other purposes, the check-valve 3 5 is liable to be opened for an instant at more or less frequent intervals by water-hammer produced in the supply-pipes. These openings may occur at such short intervals that a considerable flow of water to the alarm devices is produced, and with the previous construction of such devices this flow may be suflicient to operate them, thus giving a false alarm. This danger of giving false alarms is the chief objection to the previous constructions, which objection the present invention overcomes by providing an alarm device of the general character referred to which will surely operate upon the opening of a sprinkler, but which will not be operated by fre- SerialNo.10,502. (N0 model.)

quent opening and closing of the communi- 5o cation with the system; This is accomplished by the use in connection with an alarm device of a receiving-chamber connected with the liquid-supply system through a normally closed passage and having an outlet for discharging liquid from said chamber when the passage is closed, which outlet is reduced upon the opening of said passage, causing the liquid to rise in and fill the chamber and operate or cause the operation of the alarm. In practice it is desirable to so proportion the outlet that when open it will quickly discharge any liquid which may have collected in the chamber, and it is also desirable to close the outlet when the passage to the system is opened, as in such case the full pressure in the system is rendered operative in effecting the operation of the alarm. The reduction of the outlet upon the opening of the passage to the system may be less than a complete closing of said outlet, it found desirable for any reason, and in any case the size of the supply to the chamber may be so proportioned that under a given head or pressure in the system it will require the desired time to till the receivingchamber. If the communication with the system does not remain open for this length of time, the alarm will not be operated, for upon the closing of the communication the outlet will be opened to its full extent and the liquid which has collected in the receiving-chamber will be quickly discharged.

In the accompanying drawings,in which is shown an apparatus embodying the invention in its preferred form, arranged to cause the operation of an alarm, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 is a detail showing the supply-opening through the diaphragm to be described.

In the construction shown the receiving- 0 chamber 1 is provided with a supply-opening 2, through which water from a water-supply system may flow into said chamber when the communication between the chamber and system is open. The chamber is also provided with a discharge-outlet 3, through which any water which may have accumulated in said chamber when the communication with the system is open may quickly escape when said communication is closed. This dischargeopening is normally open and the passage to the system normally closed; but when the passage to the system is opened the discharge is closed, so that the water may accumulate in the chamber 1, and when this accumulation has reached a certain amount the alarm or other device is operated. Should the passage to the system close, however, before the accumulation reaches this amount, then the discharge is opened and the water rapidly escapes until the chamber is emptied or the passage to the system is again opened. The supply is preferably so proportioned that the accumulation of water in the chamber is comparatively slow, so that the passage to the system must remain open some time before there is a sufficient accumulation of water in the chamber to operate the alarm, and the discharge is preferably so proportioned that the accumulated water is rapidly discharged when the passage to the system is closed. Any suitable means may be employed for closing the discharge when the supplypassage is opened. It is preferred,however, to use a movable member for this purpose, which is subjected to the pressure of the system when the supply-passage is opened and the movement of which causes the closing of the discharge. In the construction shown the movable member consists of a diaphragm 4,which normally stands below the outlet 3. There is a chamher 5 beneath the diaphragm, which communicates with the system'through a pipe 6. This pipe also forms the passage or a part of the passage from the system to the chamber 1. The pipe 6 communicates with the system through a passage 7 and an annular channel or chamber formed in a valve-seat 8. The passage 7 is formed in, and the valveseat Sis supported by, a casting 9, which may be included in the supply system. A check-valve 10 is arranged to seat upon the valve-seat 8, and thus close the passage to the receivingchamber. This valve and its mode of operation are well understood in the sprinkler art and need not be herein described. When the passage between the system and the chamber 1 is opened by the opening of the valve 10 for any reason, the diaphragm t is subjected to the pressure of the water in the system and is moved upward to close the discharge, and as soon as the valve 10 returns to its seat the pressure on the diaphragm is removed, allowing said diaphragm to spring away from the discharge-opening. The supply-passage may be located and ar 'anged as desired and is preferably formed, as shown, by an opening in the diaphragm +1. \Vhenever a sprinkler opens in the system, the flow of water past the valve 10 and through the pipe 6 is practically continuous and the accumulation of water in the chamber 1 will continue and may be employed to operate an alarm or other device. Successive and frequent openings and closings of the valve caused by water-hammer or otherwise will not cause an operative accumulation of water in the chamber 1, however, for the reasons before stated, and false alarms or improper operation of other devices will not occur. Moreover, with this construction comparatively large passages for the water may be employed, so that there is no danger that they will become clogged or stopped and cause an improper operation of the alarm or other device or a failure to operate at the proper time. In the form shown when the valve 10 remains open the water accumulates in the chamber 1 until said chamber is tilled, when it rises in the pipe 11 and acts against a diaphragm 12, the movement of which completes an electric circuit and sounds an alarm. The diaphragm 12 carries a block 13, which acts against a blade 14-, one end of which is pivoted to a binding-post 15, included in the alarin-circuit, and the other end of which is arranged to engage a second post 16, alsoincluded in the circuit. The chamber 1 should be provided with a vent for the escape of air as the water rises therein, and such a vent is shown in the pipe 11 at 17.

While the apparatus described is especially designed and intended for use in connection with alarm devices for automatic sprinkler systems and its advantages have been set forth in connection with such apparatus and systems, yet it will be understood that the invention is not limited to use in such connections and that devices other than alarms might be operated by the increased flow or pressure produced in the receiving-chamber and that the invention might be used in connection with supply systems other than sprinkler systems.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a receiving-chamber, of a supply-passage between said receiving-chamber and awater-supply system, means for normally closing said supply-passage, an outlet for dischargingthe water from said chamber, and independent means operated upon the opening of the supply-passage to reduce said outlet and upon the closing of said passage to restore said outlet.

2. The combination with a receiving-chamber, of a supply-passage between said receiv ing-chamber and a water-supply system, means for normally closing said supply-passage, an outlet for discharging the water from said chamber, and independent means operated upon the opening of the supply-passage for closing said outlet, and upon the closing of said passage to open said outlet.

3. The combination with areceiving-chamber, of a normally closed supply-passage between said receiving-chamber and a watersupply system, an outlet for discharging the water from said chamber, and means operated directly by the pressure in the system for closing said outlet upon the opening of said passage.

1. The combination with a receiving-011mm ber, of a normally closed supply-passage between said receiving-chamber and a Watersupply system, an outlet for discharging the Water from said chamber, and a diaphragm subjected to the pressure of the system upon the opening of said passage, said diaphragm by its movement causing the closing of the outlet.

5. The combination with a receiving-chamher, a yielding diaphragm therein, a chamber below said diaphragm, a communication between said chambers and a water-supply system, and a discharge-outlet for said receiving-chamber opened and closed by the movement of said diaphragm.

6. The combination with a receiving-chamher 1, a diaphragm 4t therein, a chamber 5 below said diaphragm, a discharge-outlet 3 arranged to be closed by movement of said diaphragm, an inlet to said chamber 5, and a passage from chamber 5 to chamber 1.

7. The combination, with a water-supply system, of a check-valve located therein, a receiving-chamber, a supply-passage leading to said receiving-chamber, said supply-passage being normally closed by said check-valve, an

outlet from said chamber, and means operated upon the opening of the supply-passage to reduce said outlet and upon the closing of said passage to restore said outlet.

8. The combination, with a water-supply system, of acheck-valve located therein, a receiving-chamber, a supply-passage leading to said receiving-chamber, said supply-passage being normally closed by said check-Valve, an outlet from said chamber, and means operated upon the opening of the supply-passage to close said outlet, and upon the closing of said passage to open said outlet.

9. The combination, with a water-supply system, of a check-valve located therein, a receiving-chamber, a supply-passage leading to said receiving-chamber, said supply-passage being normally closed by said check-valve, an outlet from said chamber, and means operated by the pressure in the system for closing said outlet upon the opening of said supply-passage.

FREDERICK GRINNELL. WVitnesses:

IRA L. FISH, R. A. BATES. 

